Common to the calendar industry are daily calendars commonly referred to as “page-a-day” calendars as trademarked by Workman Publishing. Such calendars are also known as “daily calendars” and “boxed calendars” and are typically made of approximately 365 printed sheets of paper (pages) whereby each page represents individual days of the year. The pages are collated and assembled into a pad, bound on one side (similar to a tear-away note pad), attached to a secondary support frame (easel) having a pull out “kick stand” (similar to a desktop picture frame) and finally, inserted into a secondary display carton for retail sale. When in use, single pages are torn from the pad with the passing of each date.
Accord Publishing sought to produce various new calendar concepts and improve its existing calendar titles using currently available boxed calendar formats only to learn that the traditional boxed calendar format previously described did not provide the necessary functionality. Accord Publishing needed a calendar method that allowed individual pages to remain undamaged versus the torn and frayed edges that result when removing pages from a bound pad. A method was needed that allowed individual pages, once used, to be stored within the calendar for future use. A method was needed to accommodate the insertion and repositioning of ancillary items such as index cards, tabs, metal boards, etc., which function was not feasible with a bound pad. And finally, a more cost efficient, more environmentally friendly method was needed whereby the packaging would also serve as an easy to use tilt-back easel, eliminating the need for secondary (throw-away) retail display cartons and secondary (plastic or paper board) easels. Accordingly, it was necessary for Accord Publishing to create a new, all inclusive, daily calendar system that ensured undamaged paper removal, self storage of calendar pages, and the ability to insert various ancillary items between pages, via a multi-functional container—all of which were not possible through the use of existing boxed calendar formats.
Accord Publishing invented a new calendar system through the creation of its revolutionary Easy Fold-a-Round™ Calendar Box. This box enables the calendar pages to be loose, versus bound along a common edge, thereby eliminating the damage caused to pages when torn from a bound pad. This box provides self storage because the loose pages can be moved to the back of the box. This box accommodates the insertion and repositioning of ancillary items (index cards, tabs, metal boards, etc.) between calendar pages as these various items slide in and out between loose calendar pages when the box is opened. And finally, this is a multi-functional container that serves as a retail display carton which easily converts into an easel, thereby eliminating the need for secondary display cartons and secondary easels.
The Easy Fold-a-Round™ Calendar Box invention now makes it possible for Accord Publishing to create all new calendar titles and greatly improve other existing calendar titles. For example, Accord may now offer a boxed calendar titled Tangram—Magnetic Puzzle-a-Day™ Calendar. This calendar is made possible through this invention because a metal sheet can slide in and out between loose calendar pages so that seven magnetic shapes may magnetically attach to the calendar page viewed at the front of the calendar. As the year progresses, the metal sheet is easily moved toward the back of the box. Additionally, the user may store the calendar pages (and other components) within the calendar should they wish to save the calendar pages.
An example of how this invention allows great improvements to existing calendar titles is demonstrated with Accord Publishing's Easy Origami Calendar™. Origami (and other paper folding/craft hobbies) benefits greatly from the use of straight-edged paper and easily accessible instructions. Straight-edge paper is now possible with this invention because it holds loose sheets of paper versus bound pages that are damaged when torn from a pad. This invention also enables origami instructions, which were previously provided separate from the calendar, to be inserted within the Calendar as tabbed cards. And finally, there is now no need to produce a secondary (throw-away) retail display carton or a secondary plastic stand since the Easy Fold-a-Round™ Calendar Box is both display carton and easel.
The present invention, Easy Fold-a-Round™ Calendar Box, provides necessary and specific innovations to daily or boxed calendar format calendars. This newly designed box serves as a retail display carton having a front cover that quickly converts (folds around) into a tilt back easel stand that can support over 365 daily calendar pages. Just as easily, it folds back into a closed front cover position in a single, nearly automatic motion. The box is comprised of paper board material. The front cover consists of paper board panels that are hingedly connected. Magnets are inserted within the paperboard and are used to conveniently and rapidly hold the lid in place. Specific improvements include loose calendar pages, self storage of calendar pages and associated components, insertion of ancillary components between loose calendar pages, and a display carton that also serves as tilt-back calendar easel via a single, easy motion.
The Easy Fold-a-Round™ Calendar Box invention should not be confused with numerous other calendar related inventions which generally relate to a) Calendars having pages that are bound along a common side (i.e. spiral bound or glued). b) Calendars that do not include storage space for “used” calendar pages. c) Calendars having a weekly or monthly format per single calendar page versus a boxed calendar format which displays a single day at a time. d) Calendars that require secondary retail display cartons and secondary easels, separate from the display carton. e) Self standing calendars having an easel like support structure requiring multiple steps for set-up (versus one simple “fold-a-round” motion that does not require removing interior contents) and/or that do not have a tilt back easel function, an easy opening and closing function, or that utilize a construction that is commonly known in the art.                a) Illustrative of calendars having pages that are bound along a common side include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,229 issued to Werjefelt; U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,624 issued to Holec; U.S. Pat. No. 2,263,528 issued to Wissman; U.S. Pat. No. 1,169,738 issued to Smiley; U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,918 issued to Malcolm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,118 issued to Cross; U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,969 B2 issued to Devos; U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,625 issued to Nichols; U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,155 issued to Sala; and European Pat. No. EP 261,277.        b) Illustrative of calendars that do not include storage space for “used” calendar pages include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,229 issued to Werjefelt; U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,624 issued to Holec; U.S. Pat. No. 2,263,528 issued to Wissman; U.S. Pat. No. 1,169,738 issued to Smiley; U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,918 issued to Malcolm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,118 issued to Cross; U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,969 B2 issued to Devos; U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,625 issued to Nichols; U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,155 issued to Sala; and European Pat. No. EP 261,277.        c) Illustrative of calendars having a weekly or monthly format per single calendar page versus a boxed calendar format which displays a single day at a time include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,918 issued to Malcolm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,229 issued to Werjefelt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,497 issued to Suess; U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,969 B2 issued to Devos; European Pat. No. EP 261,277.        d) Illustrative of calendars that require secondary retail display cartons and secondary easels, separate from the display carton, include: the hundreds of boxed calendar format calendars currently available in the marketplace.        e) Illustrative of self standing calendars having an easel like support structure requiring multiple steps for set-up (versus one simple “fold-a-round” motion that does not require removing interior contents) and/or that do not have a tilt back easel function, an easy opening and closing function, or that utilize a construction that is commonly known in the art include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,497 issued to Suess (requires multiple steps for set up such as opening a flap, removing calendar playing cards, closing previously opened flap, severing perforation lines, folding back holder portion, inserting “tip” into holder, and re-inserting calendar playing cards); U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,155 issued to Sala; U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,968 issued to Adams; and French Pat. No. FR 2,547,243.        
The present invention teaches how a calendar's front cover or lid quickly converts into a tilt back kick-stand, then quickly converts back into a closed front cover position in a near automatic motion by use of magnets to rapidly lock the hingedly connected panels into place as either a cover or stand. This-near effortless motion has a dual benefit to the prospective consumer: 1) prior to purchase, the prospect can quickly open the lid of the multifunctional box and examine the inner contents; and 2) upon purchase, the consumer can use the reclosable lid to enable transport, and reopen the lid at a desktop and reposition it into a displayable position without discarding the outer carton. In sum, the outer carton of the present invention also serves as the display and stand whereas the existing boxed calendar format calendars of today's market have a disposable outer carton.
The present invention allows the user to simply remove the expired calendar sheet from a front position of the display mount and optionally store it at a back position of the display mount. Furthermore, dividers, i.e. a set of index cards, sticky paper tabs, etc., can be inserted in between any date, and serve as, for example, a reminder for a birthday or anniversary. Thereafter, the present invention provides an alternative use for the calendar, which use remains after the date of the calendar page has long since passed. For example, the user may fold the outdated calendar page into an origami figure. Other examples could include arranging a set of magnetic pieces on each outdated calendar page to form new designs with the magnetic pieces, using the printed graphic art on each outdated calendar page as a cross-stitch or quilt pattern, or cropping the outdated calendar card to provide a decorative border, which is a popular craft called “scrapbooking.” The user may also simply reuse each calendar card as a gift card.
The present invention also allows the user to display the calendar pages in a display mount that is a novel means of a slant-support display easel. There are a number of inexpensive slant-support display easels that basically consist of a means for positioning a slanting display or writing surface having easel support means. Usually the structure incorporates one or more vertical panels for displaying advertisements, slogans, logos, calendars, photographs, or the like. In the past, most of the art pertaining to such structures has been formed of relatively thick, substantially inflexible cardboard stock, with or without plastic facing layers. Such structures generally use a comparatively complex tongue and slot means to maintain the easel in operative position and rely on the strength of the materials and their thickness to provide stability during use. Moreover, their assembly is time-consuming.
The present invention comprises a container that can be converted from an open display case or calendar stand to a closed storage box. This box is multi-functional, and serves as packaging, as storage, as a calendar stand, and as a carrying case. In addition, the present invention provides an opportunity for a purchaser to examine the inner contents prior to purchase. The front lid of the box rotates around to the backside of the container to a semi-locked position thereby transforming the lid into a stand or an easel in an open mode. In a closed mode, a locking system holds the lid securely in place, thereby maintaining the interior contents during transport.
In the open display case configuration, the Suess container may be described as having a card display holder and a card storage holder. The card display holder and the card storage holder are joined together at a fold line that operates as a hinge, which may be adjusted to position one holder relative to the other holder about the hinge line. However, the inner card contents must be removed from the outer container to accomplish the opening or closing mode of the container. Further, Suess does not suggest that the container can be combined with a locking system. The present invention discloses a locking system comprising hook and loop, magnets, Velcro®, and/or other like devices. A second locking system can also be used to provide a secure upright and rigid stance when the present invention is configured as an open display case.
Recently, devices similar to compact disc jewel cases have been used to provide a card calendar whereby each card displays one month of a year. The jewel case opens and rotates about 300° upon a single hinge to become a tilt back calendar stand. The two-piece jewel case, however, is made of tongue and groove hard plastic and is thus, immovable except for the single hinge. Furthermore, the pivot point for a single hinged jewel case must be centered upon an axis away from the edge. The front lid of the present invention rotates about 270° about a first hinge to the backside of the box, whereupon a second hinge swings acutely to transform the lid into a stand or an easel, thereby providing a desired tilt angle for the open calendar box. Unlike the jewel case pivot point, which is centered along an axis away from the edge of the case, the pivot point of the present invention runs along the intersection of two adjoining panels. This allows the entire panel method calendar box to be constructed as a one-piece unit rather than a two-piece unit, thereby eliminating the high costs involved in a rivot method of assembly.